Shambling corpse of 3D TV finally falls down dead

CNET.com reports that the bespectacled zombie lies face down in the dirt, thanks to LG and Sony dropping support from their 2017 TVs. Will it ever rise again?

It’s been a walking corpse for the last couple of years, and now 3D TV finally looks dead.

LG and Sony, the last two major TV makers to support the 3D feature in their TVs, will stop doing so in 2017. None of their sets, not even high-end models such as their new OLED TVs, will be able to show 3D movies and TV shows.

Samsung dropped 3D support in 2016; Vizio hasn’t offered it since 2013. Other smaller names, like Sharp, TCL and Hisense, also failed to announce any 3D-capable TVs at CES 2017.

The 3D feature has been offered on select televisions since 2010, when the theatrical success of “Avatar” in 3D helped encourage renewed interest in the technology. In addition to a 3D-capable TV, it requires specialized glasses for each viewer and the 3D version of a TV show or movie — although some TVs also offer a simulated 3D effect mode.

Despite enthusiasm at the box office and years of 3D TVs being available at affordable prices, the technology never really caught on at home. DirecTV canceled its 24/7 3D channel in 2012 and ESPN followed suit a year later. There are plenty of 3D Blu-ray discs still being released, such as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” but if you want to watch them at home you’ll need a TV from 2016 or earlier — or a home theater projector.